Free movement

Data acquisition

Two routines or protocols can be used.

The first routine uses the Behavioral Testing Facility at the UCC (located in the basic-science building). We are able to offer an integrated system for automatic recording of movement and behavior. The facility posses a sound protected cabin large enough to be used with medium size animals (i.e. rabbits). After the experimental design is created, the video equipment will allow to observe and to record the movements of the animals with the simultaneous data collection on a high performance computer. When the experiment is over, you can view the tracks of the animals and analyze the data.

Alternatively you can send us the video (ej. MPEG) in which the animal movement is produced and then we will be able to analyze the data using our high performance computer in our facility. We only require that you tell us the parameters that you
require to be analyzed.

Data analysis

The acquisition and analysis program that we are using (EthoVision v.3.0) converts the video image of your tracked object into a series of <x, y> coordinates producing a layout of the spreadsheet. The Analysis module turns these coordinates into parameters able to be introduced in final statistical and graphics software for your publication.

Behavior Output Parameters

A ranges of dependent variables (parameters) as well as descriptive statistics of the parameters are the output of the analyzed data Your data will be exported to a spreadsheet or statistical program of your preference to perform statistical tests on your data.

Table 1. Output parameters

General Parameters

Specific parameters

Distance and time parameters

In zone

Distance to zone

Distance to zone border

Distance to point

Distance moved

Velocity

Path shape parameters

Heading

Turn angle

Angular velocity

Meander

Individual behavior parameters

Movement

Rearing

Social Behavior parameters

Distance between objects

Relative movement

Proximity

Speed of moving to

Speed of moving from

Net relative movement

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